


One sentence prompts

by theonetruenorth



Series: Drabbles collection [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: (but only in one prompt), Angst, Bottom Alec Lightwood, Boys In Love, Character Death, Dom/sub Undertones, Domestic Fluff, Drabbles, Episode Related, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Oral Sex, Romance, Sexy Times, Shower Sex, Smut, Top Magnus Bane, cuddly!Alec, drunk!Alec, implied MC death, prompts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-24
Updated: 2018-02-07
Packaged: 2018-12-06 06:08:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 10,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11594523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theonetruenorth/pseuds/theonetruenorth
Summary: A collection of prompts/drabbles from tumblr asks.Pairings and tags will be added accordingly.





	1. Chapter 1

> **"Let me tell you a story." (Raphael/Simon)**
> 
> **- ANONYMOUS**

Raphael looks at the boy, at the way he’s still struggling with drinking blood, no matter how fancy the presentation and how fresh it is. He sees the face that the fledgling makes at the taste, even though his body actually craves nourishment. **  
**

He can still remember being very much the same, back when he was this young. When Magnus had to force him to eat, to live, to not give up and just walk into the sun.

Simon is young, but he will endure. Raphael is going to make sure of it.

He sits down in the armchair opposite to the sofa that Simon occupies, hunched over the half-empty glass of red and glaring at it as if it personally offended him.

“Let me tell you a story,” Raphael says.

“About what?” Simon croaks out, eyes still focused on the now lukewarm blood.

“Survival.”


	2. Chapter 2

> **"What on earth are you wearing?!" (Magnus/Alec)**
> 
> **- ANONYMOUS**

 

“Magnus, hurry up! I thought you didn’t want to be late?”

“Darling, you know that perfection requires time! I’ll be right there.”

Alec took one last sip of his juice as he looked over the printed guidelines for something called ‘audience participation’ for a show they were about to go watch in less than half an hour. Magnus had been positively gleeful when he told Alec about it, knowing that Alec had never seen this  _Rocky Horror Picture Show_  before - whatever it was. Alec had agreed to it, not really knowing what he was about to expect. He wasn’t sure if he was not going to regret it. The goodie bag filled with props had seemingly random items, like confetti, newspapers, water guns and toast.

“There, all done. We can go now.”

Alec turned towards his warlock… and then promptly spit out the juice he didn’t get to swallow yet.

“What on earth are you wearing?!”

Alec was used to Magnus dressing up whenever the mood struck him, but this… this was something new altogether. Alec didn’t know if it was the fishnet stockings, the garter belt, high heels or the glittering corset that shocked him the most. Or maybe it was the pair of black silk panties that left very little to imagination.

“Oh darling,” Magnus giggled, “I can already tell that this lesson in modern pop culture is going to be  _so much fun_.”


	3. Chapter 3

 

> **"Please make my thoughts stop screaming." (Magnus/Alec)**
> 
> **- OPENBIANDBROKEN**

 

It’s one of those nights again, those long hours before dawn when Magnus can’t sleep and Alec doesn’t want to, not when Magnus is deprived of his rest. Alec tries to give him space, tries to wait until Magnus comes to him, but it is painfully obvious that it’s just wishful thinking. The trauma of the body switch is too big and Magnus is lost in it, unable to move on.

“Magnus, please,” Alec says as he sits down next to Magnus on the living room couch, “tell me that there’s something that I can do.”

The warlock is quiet for a long moment, deep in thought, before he finally shifts, straddling Alec’s lap in one graceful move, still without saying a word. He kisses Alec, a slow and desperate kiss and Alec pulls back after a minute, his brows furrowing.

“This isn’t what you need, Magnus.”

“Yes, it is,” Magnus protests, chasing Alec’s lips with his own, only to have Alec move out of his reach once more. “I need my body to feel like my own again.”

“We still haven’t talked about it,” Alec points out. “ _Any_ of it.”

“And we will,” Magnus agrees and Alec can see something shift in his eyes, some kind of emotion he can’t decipher, but he knows it makes Magnus look vulnerable. Unsure and hesitant and lost, and that look on _Magnus_ is wrong on so many levels.

“I promise, we will,” Magnus continues, his hands reaching up to cradle Alec’s face in between them, “but for now, I need your help, please. Please make my thoughts stop screaming.”

And _this_ Alec knows. He knows how it feels like to have his own mind turning against him. How Magnus’ touch can mute the voices inside of his own head, engulfing him in the calm sea of nothingness. Alec doesn’t do this for Magnus very often, but it’s familiar enough.

His hands reach slowly to grasp Magnus’ wrists; his touch is firm, but not bruising. He shifts them both until Magnus’ hands are crossed behind his back, held there by Alec’s unrelenting grip. Magnus’ gaze is focused on Alec and he tries to move away and can’t. A slight shiver runs through the warlock’s frame as he gives up his control to Alec, secure in the knowledge that Alec will take care of him and drown out the thoughts that torment him, replacing them with something else entirely; something calm and quiet and peaceful.

“This is not the end of this conversation,” Alec says.

Magnus only nods.


	4. Chapter 4

>   **"I'm scared." (Magnus/Alec)**
> 
> **- ANONYMOUS**

 

Magnus finds him sitting on an uncomfortable-looking chair in the corridor outside of the Institute infirmary. No one else is there, but he can hear voices coming from the other side of the massive doors and knows that the rest of the Lightwoods are inside. Alec is slouching in his seat, elbows on his knees and hands hanging in between them, his gaze stuck on the floor, as if he expected it to suddenly open up and swallow him whole.

Magnus crouches in front of his nephilim and reaches out to grasp his hands, but stops short when he sees blood on them. It’s dry, flaking off Alec’s skin and gathered underneath his nails in dark red half-moons.

“Darling,” he starts, not sure if Alec can hear him or not, since he’s so still that only the slight rise and fall of his chest indicate that he has not turned into one of the statues that decorate the hallways of the Institute, “I just found out. Isabelle called me and I came as soon as I heard.”

And wasn’t that a kick in the gut, the phone call and Izzy telling him about the attack on the Institute, about finding Max so hurt they weren’t sure if he was going to live. The Silent Brothers managed to stabilize him, for the time being. Alec had not called for his help. Had not even called him to let him know about Max. He probably thought that the big fight they had just a little while ago meant that Magnus was done with him, that he had enough.

Magnus makes up his mind and wraps his fingers around Alec’s own, temporarily hiding the red from his sight. Alec flinches, as if he was suddenly startled awake from a deep dream, but Magnus doesn’t let him pull away from his touch.

“How are you doing?”

Alec looks at him then, really looks at him. The poor boy seems so lost, so utterly lost and it makes Magnus’ heart break. All the arguments from the past couple of days, all the hurt and feelings of betrayal get pushed away. He’s not forgetting about them, but they can wait.

“Why are you here?” Alec asks him and Magnus inhales sharply at the unexpected question.

“I told you, Isabelle called me.”

“No, _why_ are you here, Magnus?” Alec frowns, as if he doesn’t understand that Magnus could not let him deal with this alone. “I thought--”

“That we are over?” Magnus interrupts, not willing to hear the self-loathing in Alec’s voice that he already knows will be there. “Hardly. You’re not getting rid of me any time soon.”

Alec just blinks at him owlishly. Magnus can see the deep, dark shadows under his eyes and he knows that Alec probably had not slept in days, not since the conflict with the Downworld escalated.

“Tell me the truth now, darling,” Magnus says and sees Alec grimace, probably at the implied possibility of lies once again coming between them, “how are you?”

Alec looks at their joined hands, then his gaze slowly shifts up and up, until he can look Magnus in the eye and Magnus can _almost_ see the moment he breaks.

“I’m scared,” Alec whispers. “Scared that Max is not going to wake up. That I’m breaking everything that I touch. All the power, all the effort to make a difference, it’s not worth shit, because my baby brother is in a coma and he still might die and I pushed away the only person who helped me stay sane.”

“But you have not pushed me away,” Magnus protests, one of his hands now reaching up to cradle the back of Alec’s skull. “I’m still here and I’m not going anywhere.”

Magnus pulls him down and Alec buries his face in the crook of Magnus’ neck and tries not to cry.

And it’s just one more thing he fails at.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.K.A “the saddest thing the author could think about writing, since she’s in a crappy mood. Enjoy the angst, everyone!

> **"Who are you?" (Magnus/Alec)**
> 
> **-ANONYMOUS**

 

At first, Magnus only intended to give Alec silent treatment for a short while, to make him understand how much he hurt him. To punish him for lying, just for a couple of days. He called Alec after what he thought was a suitable amount of time, only for his call to go straight to voicemail. It didn’t surprise him, not really. They were both busy men these days. And if Magnus had to be honest with himself, he was even a little relieved too. He wasn’t looking forward to the confrontation that would surely evolve into yet another argument.

But then none of his calls were picked up. His texts went unanswered. His fire messages didn’t receive a response. Before he noticed it, three weeks have passed and Magnus finally portalled to the Institute, determined to find his boyfriend and finally clear the air.

“Isabelle!” Magnus called out as soon as he saw Izzy in the main operations room. She was talking to Jace, showing him something on one of the screens. She turned towards him when she heard his voice. “Do you know where I can find Alexander? He hasn’t been returning my calls.”

Izzy blinked at him owlishly for a moment before her eyebrows drew together in a frown.

“Who’s Alexander?”

And that was when Magnus knew that something went very, very wrong.

 

* * *

 

Magnus stepped out of the portal that opened next to his desired location, the one he learned about after his tracking spell had finally ran its course. He was still reeling from his meeting with Imogen Herondale that happened a couple hours ago, after he portalled directly to Alicante and stomped into her office, hell bent on finding answers.

Alec was found guilty of treason, she said. He had been collaborating with Downworlders - namely Lucian Greymark - and revealed to him crucial information that could lead to an all-out war with the nephilim. As a punishment for the betrayal, Alec had been stripped of his runes and cast away into the mundane world. But as if that wasn’t enough, Imogen also deemed him a security threat, because even as a mundane Alec still would have sight and still could do irreparable damage. She had a warlock come from the London Institute and take Alec’s memories, as well as wipe the memories of everyone connected to him. Alec wouldn’t remember a thing from his previous life, apart from his first name. No one would remember that he had existed. Not his siblings, or his parents, or his friends.

No one except for Magnus.

Magnus wasn’t sure if it was a small mercy or an error in judgment. Or maybe the foreign warlock didn’t have the guts to directly assault a High Warlock. Magnus didn’t know the reason. He didn’t particularly care.

He found Alec sitting on the ground, curled up with his back against the brick wall, knees drawn up and arms resting on them. He looked as if he was trying to intentionally make himself smaller, hiding his face away from the view. It was a chilly evening and the young man was shivering, the tattered clothes he was wearing doing little to keep the cold at bay. Magnus felt tears gathering in his eyes as he took in the scars visible on the exposed skin, red and raw-looking, surely as painful as they looked. Alec was thinner, much thinner, as if he hadn’t eaten in a long time. And seeing that he had been homeless for over two weeks, Magnus was pretty sure that it wasn’t very far off from the truth.

“Oh, Alexander,” he whispered as he knelt on the ground next to Alec, reaching out to touch his arm but hesitating, not sure if his touch would be welcome or not.

Alec flinched at the sound of his voice, obviously lost in thoughts before and turned quickly to look at Magnus. Magnus saw no spark of recognition in his eyes and it made his heart break all over again.

“Who are you?” Alec asked, his voice laced with suspicion. “And how do you know my name?”

“My name is Magnus,” the warlock said, gently, as if he was afraid one false move would make Alec bolt, “and I’m here to take you home.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did someone ask for the saddest possible ending to the whole Nephilim vs. Seelie Queen conflict? No? Well, here it is anyways. 
> 
>  
> 
> **WARNING: death of major characters.**

> **"I've ruined everything." (Magnus/Alec)**
> 
> **- ANONYMOUS**

 

When they had finally let Magnus go, it was already too late.

He could still hear the Seelie Queen’s words, the sultry whisper of deception. Saying how she gave him what he wanted, even though _this_ was the last thing on his mind. The siege of the Institute. The slaughter of the nephilim inside of it, outnumbered ten to one.

Magnus made his way through the eerily quiet halls of the Institute, stepping over the bodies that littered its floors. He had to cover his mouth and nose in attempt to filter out the smells, but it was in vain. Nothing could block it, that sickly-sweet coppery scent of drying blood and the stench of death. He almost slipped when he had to step through the cloying pool of blood from one of the nephilim he didn’t even know.

He found Isabelle first. She was lying on her back, eyes open as if she was looking at the beautiful stained glass windows of the Institute, but her gaze was empty. Skin pale with blood loss, lips stained red with more than just lipstick. There was little comfort in knowing she died quickly, judging from the deep slash across her throat. Magnus crouched next to her prone body and closed her unseeing eyes, all the while fighting against the ice-cold wave of dread that was starting to overtake him.

He couldn’t break down now. Not when he still had to see for himself what he had helped orchestrate, however unknowingly. Not when he still had to brace himself for the biggest heartbreak of his immortal life.

He found Alexander in his office.

At first, he thought he was already dead. Lying on his side, his head resting on Jace’s unmoving chest, clutching one of his parabatai’s hands. Three Seelie-made javelins were piercing him through, a clear sign that the two brothers did not go down without a fight.

But then his body twitched and an almost soundless, pained sigh slipped from between his lips and Magnus fell to his knees beside him, his hands already flaring up with healing magic.

It was pointless. He knew it was pointless, but he had to try nevertheless.

“Hold on, Alexander,” Magnus whispered as he tried to stop the blood loss, tried to slow down the rapid pace of Alec’s life slipping away. Tried to selfishly buy one more minute, one more second during which he could still have him.

Alec’s eyes were open and he kept looking at Jace’s face, pale and relaxed in a way that only death can bring. Magnus desperately tried not to think about the agonizing pain of a broken parabatai bond or how Alec must have felt when Jace’s heart stopped beating. Magnus gently turned Alec’s head, away from the sight of his brother.

“I-Izzy,” Alec whispered and red bloomed on his lips when he spoke, “is s-she okay?”

Magnus bit back a sob, feeling his heart tear a little more because this beautiful, selfless man was on the brink of death himself and still his thoughts were focused on his family. What was left of it anyways, since little Max’s passing not so long ago.

“She’s fine,” Magnus said, brushing away the blood from Alec’s lips with his thumb, “I saw her outside just a minute ago.”

“That’s… good…”

Magnus gave up on healing attempts, knowing that the damage went too far, that he was too late. He brought Alec’s hand to his lips and kissed his knuckles while Alec’s eyes drifted shut. The hand in Magnus’ grip grew heavy and he could hear the last long exhale of the man who made his universe that much brighter.

“I’m so sorry, my love. I’ve ruined everything,” Magnus whispered, forcing himself not to cry.

Not now.

Not yet.

Not until he razed the Seelie realm to the ground, for what they had done.


	7. Chapter 7

> **"Hey, have you seen my black shirt?" (Magnus/Alec, whatever rating you like!)**
> 
> **- ANONYMOUS**

Alec rummaged through the clothes he had thrown on the floor the night before. He had already pulled on his pants, but could not find the shirt anywhere. He even checked under the bed, just to make sure, but no luck.

He really ought to leave a change of clothes at Magnus’ place for the next time. It would make things so much easier.

“Hey, have you seen my black shirt?” Alec asked as he entered the kitchen where he could hear Magnus shuffling around. He had woken up in an empty bed, but the scent of freshly brewed coffee was unmistakable. “I could swear that--”

And then Alec made a sound like he had swallowed his own tongue.

“Oh, _this_ shirt?” Magnus asked, turning towards his boyfriend. “I should have asked, but it just looked so comfortable...”

The previously missing shirt was buttoned up only halfway up Magnus’ torso, leaving much of the tanned, golden chest on display. The sleeves that were just right fit for Alec seemed to be a little too tight for Magnus (whose shoulders were a bit wider than Alec’s) and emphasized his biceps quite nicely.

But that wasn’t what made Alec choke, no. That particular shirt was always a little too long for Alec, usually bunching around his middle a bit; not that he minded, since it was comfortable and soft. The extra length seemed to work in Magnus’ favor, though. It ended _just_ below his ass, hiding it away from view. When Magnus turned around, Alec realized that with just an inch less on the front, Magnus would have been totally exposed.

Was Magnus even wearing underwear underneath it? Alec couldn’t tell.

But it was _his_ shirt. Magnus was wearing something of Alec’s, knowing perfectly well what it did to the primal, possessive part of Alec’s brain.

Alec moved forward, crowding Magnus against kitchen counter, making the warlock reach back and brace his hands on the edge as Alec invaded his personal space. Magnus was smirking, aware of the effect he was having on his boyfriend and milking the attention for all it was worth.

Alec brushed his hand over the top of Magnus’ thigh, gently, running his fingers over the side of it and up, up, until he could slip underneath the edge of the shirt. Magnus shivered in excitement and Alec made a small noise of surprise when he didn’t encounter any more fabric. Just warm, supple skin.

No underwear, then.

“You look…”

Indecent. Hot. Like he had been planning all of this to make Alec lose his mind and ravish him right there, in the middle of the kitchen.

“You look like you’re mine,” Alec all but _growled_ , reaching with both hands to hike Magnus up onto the kitchen counter, making the warlock yelp a little when his naked ass hit the cold surface.

“Am I?” Magnus asked, coyly, wrapping his arms around the shadowhunter’s neck. He made a little, pleased sound when Alec’s hands brushed up his thighs and he parted his legs, letting his boyfriend nestle in between them. “I think you better remind me.”

The coffee was long cold before they finally got around to drinking it later.

_Much_ later.


	8. Chapter 8

> **"You're both to me, angel and demon." (Magnus/Alec)**
> 
> **\- JANUSA**

If Magnus had to be completely honest with himself, this was not how he imagined Alec leaving him.

He expected fighting. One of those big, epic shouting matches, where all the ugly parts of relationship always reared their collective heads and both parties aimed for the soft, vulnerable underbellies. Ready to maim. To kill. To end things in way that would give them satisfaction of having the upper hand. The last word.

He did not expect _this_.

Waiting on the couch in total silence while Alec stripped of his gear, leaving the blood-stained weapons by the door for later cleaning.

Sitting still like a statue, with his hands resting on his knees, the only proof of his fear manifesting with the way his hands gripped the expensive fabric of his tailored pants.

Keeping his eyes shut, terrified of opening them and seeing the apprehension and anger on Alec’s face.

Magnus could not take it. Could not stand his heart breaking in a way that would surely leave him dead, not this time, not when he thought he could have this, have Alec and be happy.

How foolish of him.

“Hey, are you alright?”

The broad, warm hand touching his face took him by surprise and he flinched, not sure what to expect. Alec didn’t seem to notice - or care - and cupped his chin regardless, turning Magnus’ head to look him in the eye.

“I didn’t mean to lie to you,” Magnus said, desperately wishing for Alec to believe him, “but it’s… it’s not something that just comes up in a casual conversation and--”

“It’s okay.”

“You don’t even know what it means.”

It all happened just an hour ago, but Magnus didn’t think he could ever forget. He had joined his group of shadowhunters on patrols before, but it was the first (and only) time where his powers proved useless; the demons that they have encountered were resistant to magic. And then of course things went horribly wrong. Clary ended up wounded on the ground with the demon looming over her, about to go for a kill and what choice did Magnus have, really? He grabbed the seraph blade that Clary had been forced to drop earlier and defended her.

He killed the demon but even that relief of keeping his friend safe was short-lived, once he realized everyone was looking at him, surprise and shock on their faces.

Looking at the seraph blade in his hand, glowing red.

“I do,” Alec said, leaning in to rest his forehead against Magnus’, bringing them closer together. “And I don’t care.”

“How? How could you possibly know?” Magnus asked, choking up at the idea that it wasn’t over, that Alec wasn’t disgusted or betrayed. That he could still have him, this extraordinary man who kept surprising him, proving him wrong every single time Magnus thought he knew what was about to happen. Who loved him, against all odds, and whom Magnus loved more and more with every beat of his heart.

“Head of the Institute,” Alec replied. “I get access to files that normal shadowhunters won’t ever see. I know what the red light means.”

“Alec…”

“I don’t care,” Alec repeated, his voice strong and sure and filled with tenderness that Magnus didn’t think he deserved right then. “You're both to me, angel and demon.”

Alec smiled a little and Magnus thought he had never seen anything more beautiful than that affectionate, shy smile that instantly filled his heart with relief.

“And knowing that,” Alec said, “I could never love you any less.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't intend to write a continuation of [chapter 5](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11594523/chapters/26129580), like I said in the comments, but jeez! So many people asked me (here and on Tumblr) that I thought I might as well give you guys a little extra.

> **"Do you trust me?" (Magnus/Alec)**
> 
> **-ANONYMOUS**

For the past couple of weeks Alec had thought that his life couldn’t get any weirder.

Waking up in an empty alley in the middle of the night, without knowing how he got there. Trying to remember anything about himself, about his life up until that point and finding nothing. A black, endless void where his memories should have been.

Did he have an accident that resulted in memory loss? Was he sick? Did someone do this to him? He couldn’t remember anything but his own name. Alexander, or Alec, for short. How did he end up in that dirty alley? He didn’t have anything with him to give him any clue, no wallet with an ID, no cell phone, nothing. He was aching all over and upon closer inspection he found his body covered in sensitive, ugly scars, like someone tried to burn off his skin.

It was an unsettling discovery and he had a minor panic attack over it before he finally managed to get himself back in order. He went to the hospital, in hope of finding help, but they couldn’t really do anything. They contacted the police but the officer assigned to him couldn’t find any reports about people missing who would fit his description.

He ended up where he started, back on the streets, with nowhere to go.

Three weeks of finding shelter for the night, of fighting to survive. A week of living like that made him break his own personal rules and he ended up stealing food. Twenty days in, he finally gave up and ended up sitting on the sidewalk, an empty can before him, begging for money.

He thought he would feel shame, but it was a distant feeling, far overpowered by the hunger that kept gnawing on his insides. The pain was too much, the pain of starvation and the agony of his scars, aggravated by the cold weather and the chill in the air. His entire body felt like one raw, exposed nerve, hurting all over.

It was too much. He didn’t know what he did to deserve his current fate, but this? This was not living. This was just a fight he didn’t feel like he could win. So what was the point of trying?

And then Magnus came into his life.

Alec wasn’t about to trust random men on the street who claimed to know him. He might have been missing his memories, but he wasn’t a fool. He was starving, but not desperate enough to follow a stranger anywhere.

He didn’t fall low enough to start selling himself for food or shelter. Not yet.

But then the stranger pulled out his phone and shown Alec pictures of the two of them, pictures clearly taken before Alec lost his memories, since he had tattoos in places where his scars now were. In the photos he was smiling, he was happy and so obviously in love that Alec’s heart ached at the thought of never experiencing that feeling again. Because Magnus was a stranger, but Alec clearly loved him.

He went home with Magnus.

Now Alec was standing on the balcony of the spacious Brooklyn loft, the morning after he spent the night on Magnus’ couch. He was clean and warm and for the first time in days he felt full, after the dinner Magnus made for them.

“I see you’re up.”

Alec turned around to see Magnus approaching him, two mugs of coffee in his hands. He handed Alec one of them and Alec took a tentative sip. It was strong and sweet, exactly how he liked.

“I made some calls before you woke up,” Magnus continued, bracing his elbows on the balcony railing and looking at the city below, “I think I know how to get your memories back.”

“With magic,” Alec said with hesitation. Magnus had given him the proof the night before, a proof that magic existed. “I’m still not sure if this is all a dream or not.” He snorted. “Or maybe I’m just crazy.”

“You’re most definitely not crazy,” Magnus protested and tapped one of his ringed fingers on the railing, where the drops of morning dew gathered. Alec watched in fascination as the water moved until it formed a sphere and hovered in the air between them. He slowly reached towards it and then shuddered when the water hit his skin. It was wet and cold and very much _real_.

“I’m not sure who is going to raise more hell once we reverse that spell, your parents or your siblings,” Magnus said, watching with fondness the childlike wonder in Alec’s eyes at the small display of magic. “It was Jace’s grandmother who did this, after all. That boy would go to war for you.”

“Yeah?” Alec whispered, finally letting his hand drop and turning his shy gaze to meet Magnus’ eyes. “I don’t-- I don’t remember him either.”

“You will,” Magnus said with conviction. “I can’t fix everything that they did to you, but I can give you your family back.”

Before Alec could say anything else, the loft was filled with the sound of impatient knocking. Alec twitched, unsure what to do. Should he hide away from view? Stay over here on the balcony?

“Easy,” Magnus touched his arm and this time Alec did not flinch away, “that would be those crazy siblings of yours. I invited them here to talk and see if I can reverse the spell myself, or if I need to go hunt down the warlock who did this.”

“They don’t remember me, though,” Alec whispered, his eyes still glued to the entrance of the balcony, as if he could see the people who were waiting by the front door to the loft.

“Not yet, but they will. Soon.” Magnus touched Alec’s chin lightly and made him turn his head, made him look back at Magnus again. “Do you trust me?”

“I do,” Alec replied after a moment. “God knows why, but I do.”

Magnus smiled then and all Alec could do was to inhale sharply. That small smile was the most beautiful thing Alec had seen since he started his life anew three weeks ago.

“Then I give you my word, everything is going to be alright.” Magnus brushed his thumb lightly over Alec’s sharp cheekbone. “And I’m the High Warlock of Brooklyn. I never break my word.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> People only send me angsty prompts. Angst is fun to write, but I need something lighter too, come on! So here, have some shower smut.
> 
> Feel free to send me more prompts if you want, through my tumblr (rules explained under 'prompts' tag).
> 
> And sorry for the multiple added and deleted chapters. AO3 was being a butt and got my stuff all mixed up.

> **"I don't know what I did to deserve you." (Malec)**
> 
> **- ANONYMOUS**

Magnus sighed, tilting his head back and closing his eyes to avoid getting water in them. Even without his vision, he was hyper aware of what was happening. The soft touch of lips brushing down his chest and stomach. Teeth nipping at his hip bone before kissing it better. Long-fingered hands running up and down his thighs, nails scratching oh-so-lightly until he was covered in goosebumps.

“Alexander,” he moaned, “don’t tease, darling.”

Magnus looked down then, blinking the water out of his eyes and almost wished he didn’t, since the sight nearly made his hundreds-years old heart stop.

His boyfriend down on his knees, looking up at Magnus, kneeling on the floor of their shower, water cascading down his body. His gorgeous hazel eyes that held Magnus captive, unable to look away. Unable to break the connection between them, even as Alec leaned in to take Magnus’ cock into his mouth. Magnus wanted to throw his head back, wanted to close his eyes and just let himself  _feel_ the bliss that slowly bloomed deep in his belly, but he just couldn’t. Alec’s mouth was hot and wet and the boy looked downright sinful, his mouth stretched around Magnus, one of his hands wrapped around the part he could not comfortably take.

Alec’s eyes finally fluttered close after a long moment. His head tilted just slightly back and Magnus knew without words what he wanted. Alec’s free hand was hanging onto Magnus’ hip and Magnus placed his own palm over it, their fingers tangling together. Magnus’ other hand curled around the back of Alec’s head, cradling his skull, gently, even as he tugged on the wet locks; not too hard, just exactly how Alec liked it. He moved his hips; a slow, sensual roll that pushed him deeper into Alec’s mouth and the nephilim allowed it, just  _took it all._

Magnus was sure his heart would not be able to take it.

Not the sensual sight, no matter how incredible. No. What made him lose his mind was the knowledge that Alec was letting himself be used, letting Magnus fuck his mouth. It was slow and careful, since they both knew Alec never quite got over his gag reflex, but it was what they both wanted, what they needed. Alec allowed himself to be the instrument of Magnus’ pleasure, to let go of control and to give it over to Magnus.

“Oh, love,” Magnus sighed and shivered when Alec opened his eyes once more, looking up at him. The amount of love and adoration in Alec’s gaze always took Magnus by surprise. Down on his knees, submitting and focused on Magnus’ pleasure he was the most breathtaking sight Magnus had ever seen. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is most probably going to be completely invalid when tonight’s episode airs, but here it is! 
> 
> (PS: If they don’t get back together before the end of the season, I am going to flip my shit at the writers for pointlessly baiting us like that.)

> **"I feel lost without you." (Magnus/Alec)**
> 
> **- ANONYMOUS**

Magnus found him on the roof of the Institute.

For one, terrible moment he thought that he would see Alec standing on the ledge, ready to fall. And this time Magnus would be helpless, since his magic was utterly exhausted. He had rushed up the stairs once he learned that Alec was up there on his own, terrified of what he might see - or what he might  _ not _ see, since Alec could already be gone.

But to his relief, Alec wasn’t standing on the edge; he was sitting on the ground instead, his back to the short wall that ran along the roof. He had his legs pulled up, his arms resting on his knees and he was trembling, despite the warm summer night.

He looked tired, but then again, Magnus figured they all deserved the rest. The fighting was over, Valentine and Sebastian now truly dead. Alec had gone through hell just couple hours ago, suffering through the loss of his parabatai, experiencing his death through their bond. Magnus couldn’t even imagine that kind of pain, just like he could not imagine how the bond felt like now, since Jace’s resurrection. Was it completely broken or just temporarily fractured? Magnus hoped it was the latter, since he knew how much Alec depended on the bond with his brother.

“How are you feeling, Alexander?” Magnus asked as he sat down next to the young man, their shoulders close enough to brush against each other. Alec just kept looking at his hands, observing the minute shivers of his fingers. An obvious sign of how exhausted he was.

“I feel lost without you.”

Magnus’ breath caught and he froze for a moment. Of all the possible replies, he had not expected  _ this _ . After the cold treatments, the fighting, the betrayal, he did not dare to hope that Alec would still have any kind of feelings for him. Gods knew he didn’t deserve them.

Magnus swallowed and looked away, not sure how to reply. He  _ always _ knew what to say, no matter how bad things were. He always had an answer ready, even if it wasn’t something others wanted to hear. But here he was, unable to say anything. Magnus didn’t know what was it about the young shadowhunter that made him, the centuries-old warlock, feel like a fool struggling for words.

“I miss you too,” he finally said and it was such an inadequate answer that almost made him laugh. He didn’t just  _ miss _ Alec but the words that he really wanted to use seemed too big, too intimidating. Words like  _ yearning _ and  _ longing _ and everything in between, everything that described how much he loved that young, stupid Nephilim who dared to steal his heart.

Magnus watched without a word as Alec’s hand moved, reached over to close around his own and after a moment he tangled their fingers together, slowly, cautiously. He looked into Alec’s eyes and thought that none of it mattered. The fighting, the vicious accusations, the emotionless exchange of words before. None of it mattered, because after it was all said and done, he still couldn’t imagine not being there by Alec’s side, for as long as Alec lived.

His Nephilim was right, after all. They did always find a way back to each other.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a friendly reminded, I am still taking prompts! Might not answer all of them, but I will pick out those I like the most. Rules explained [HERE](http://theonetruenorth.tumblr.com/post/163298232266/i-know-that-people-have-sent-me-some-prompts).
> 
> Need some light ones too, you guys seem to shower me with angsty prompts! xD

> **"Do you want the list of everything's that wrong with me?" (any Shadowhunters pairing)**
> 
> **- ANONYMOUS**

Magnus could feel Alec going through the wards, a gentle prod at his magic that told him his boyfriend was about to enter his apartment. He had keyed Alec into the wards weeks ago, so that his Shadowhunter could come and go as he pleased. Magnus hadn’t been expecting him, not really, with the younger man being extremely busy at the Institute, but he didn’t mind the visit at all. His evening suddenly looked a lot brighter, with the perspective of spending it with Alec.

Alec, however, did not call out to greet him, like he always did. Magnus frowned, listening for the signs of movement in his flat. Nothing. He marked the page in the spell book he had been translating and left his study in search of his wayward boyfriend.

He found him out on the fire escape and he immediately knew that something was wrong. It was Alec’s default spot to brood in when he was troubled, like he felt that he shouldn’t come into the apartment, not when his mood was this low. Which was ridiculous, Magnus thought, but that was just so… Alec.

“I thought you said you wouldn’t do that anymore,” Magnus sighed as he neared Alec, who was sitting on the stairs, curled up slightly, as if to make himself seem smaller. “What happened?”

Magnus took Alec’s hands gently, frowning at the torn skin and bruises and blood. His magic reacted in an instant, reaching out and healing him, soothing the pain and mending his body back together. It was almost an instinct by now, Magnus’ magic responding to Alec’s wounds, fixing them before Magnus could even think about it.

“Do you want the list of everything that's wrong with me?” Alec’s gaze slid down at their joined hands. He looked beyond tired, like he hadn’t slept in days - which really wouldn’t surprise Magnus at this point.

Magnus knew how Alec got these wounds. Pushed himself hard in training, for some imagined failure. Dealt himself a punishment he thought he deserved.

“No need,” Magnus said, “I already know the worst of it. You snore. You leave wet towels on bathroom floor. And you drink the last of my coffee without telling me, which got really old after the first five times that happened.”

That got him the reaction he was aiming for, the tiniest smirk tugging at the corner of Alec’s mouth. 

“Come to bed, darling,” Magnus whispered as his magic cut off, the wounds and blood all gone, like bad memory. “We can talk about it in the morning.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happens directly after [ this fic ](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10183688)

> **“I’m drunk, I’m an adult, and I want cuddles.” (Malec)**
> 
> **- ANONYMOUS**

“Have I told you already that I love you?”

Magnus smiled as he closed the portal behind them and then wound his arm a little tighter around Alec’s waist, making sure the young man didn’t trip over his feet and faceplant into Magnus’ expensive Persian rug.

“I believe you did, darling,” Magnus replied and couldn’t help but to think back to the moment that blossomed between them a couple hours earlier, to the first love confession, fueled by desperation and relief beyond measure.

Now it was time to rest, time to wind down and let go. Valentine was captured and his plans were thwarted. Jace had proceeded with getting drunk as soon as he could and Alec joined him, seeing it as a way to reconnect with his parabatai. Magnus couldn’t fault him for that, for needing the closeness and the soft thrum of their bond buzzing just underneath his skin. If there was anyone who deserved to get plastered after tonight, it would be Jace and Alec. Gods knew they didn’t take breaks often enough.

But now he had Alec back home, after Isabelle had called Magnus to take his boyfriend out of the Institute, which was filled to the brim with Clave officials by now. So he had portalled them back to his loft, fully intending to take care of his intoxicated Shadowhunter.

And really, who would have thought that the stoic, solemn young man like Alec ended up a clingy, happy and sleepy drunk?

“I should tell you that every day now,” Alec mumbled into Magnus’ neck, where he nuzzled into just a second ago. “I love you, you know?”

“And I love you, darling,” Magnus laughed as he steered them towards the bedroom. The fact that Alec was all limbs now was not making his task easier. Or that he was successfully winding said limbs around Magnus, as if he wanted to put his entire body into the embrace. “You’re a needy thing, aren’t you?”

“Shhh,” Alec shushed him before Magnus could say anything more. “I’m drunk, I’m an adult, and I want cuddles.” He looked at Magnus, his face scrunching a little, into what was supposed to be a determined expression.” So gimme cuddles.”

Magnus laughed again, with the deep, booming laugh that he couldn’t really stop, even if he wanted to.

“I wish I could record this. I bet you’re not going to remember that in the morning.”

“Yes, yes,” Alec mumbled, trying to walk into the bedroom without leaning into Magnus too much, but it proved difficult when the entire world was tilting and spinning out of control around him. “Cuddles first.”


	14. Chapter 14

> **“He had always found beauty in decadence.” (Magnus/Alec)**
> 
> **- JANUSA**

It didn’t happen often at the start of their relationship. Not when it was still all new to Alec, something he needed to learn and get used to and be comfortable with.

Now, though, it wasn’t a rare occurrence. Months into living together, into sleeping together, it was still one of Magnus’ favorite sights.

And such an exquisite sight it was. The long column of Alec’s rune-adorned neck on clear display as he tilted his head back, his eyes closed. The way his body moved, confident and sure and able to chase his pleasure. The sighs and groans and shaky breaths that escaped him. The relentless shifting of his hips, almost hypnotic in their rhythm, kept purposefully at the perfect angle. Making sure Magnus’ cock reached just the right spot inside of him, forcing small, breathless _‘oh’_ sounds out of him with each deliciously slow push and pull.

Magnus’ hands at Alec’s hips, helping him move, but more like just hanging on to dear life as Alec drove them both to completion, focused only on the one task of bringing them pleasure. The lovely flush that started almost in the middle of Alec’s chest and travelled up and up over his neck and onto his cheeks and Magnus couldn’t help but to trace it with his eyes first and then with his fingers, pinching one of the pebbled nipples along the way, making his lover keen.

Yes, it was still one of the most beautiful things he had seen in his centuries-long life. Alec’s single-minded focus, finally giving into what he wanted, the rest of the world be damned. Nothing else existed for him now, no responsibilities, no outside world to distract him from his own need, his own desire to love and be loved. Only this. Only the mind-numbing pleasure that he was experiencing, that he was sharing with Magnus.

It was a breathtaking sight, this exquisite creature who had blossomed from a shy, closeted boy into a gorgeous young man, finally confident in what he wanted and able to just reach out and take it. Magnus was sure he would never tire of it.

After all, he had always found beauty in decadence.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I guess that’s not what the anon expected, but here’s what my mind came up with.
> 
> Have some lovely angst!

> **"How could you do this to me?" (Malec)**
> 
> **- ANONYMOUS**

The portal blinked out of existence behind him and for a brief moment Magnus couldn’t do anything but blink owlishly, his mind taking an extra second to catch up with the new reality. But once it did, he whirled around to look at Catarina, to look her in the eyes and see pain and regret formed there already.

“Take me back,” he ordered, his voice low and dangerous and so very unlike Magnus that Cat almost flinched. _Almost_.

“No.”

Magnus’ hands shook so much, not only with utter exhaustion and depleted magic, but also with anger. So, so much anger that filled him to the brim, that threatened to overcome him completely, that was visible behind the menacing flash of his golden eyes. He had to to curl his hands into fists, for the fear that their trembling would transfer to the rest of his body. He already felt like he was going to shake apart, unravel at the vulnerable seams that held him together like a badly stitched child’s toy.

“Take. Me. Back.”

Every word was hard and felt like glass ripping his throat raw, like the worst torture that Magnus had not felt before in his life, not even while subjected to the agony rune that brought back his worst memories. But now, now those memories would be forever replaced by the image of Alec - _his Alexander_ \- wounded and bleeding out and shouting to Cat to take Magnus back, to protect him. Because Magnus had exhausted himself but the demons didn’t stop, coming at them wave after wave, relentless and unforgiving. The battle was almost lost, and Magnus knew he would never, ever forget the soft smile that Alec gave him, the gentle kiss… and then the push that made him tumble through a portal that Cat opened behind him, when he refused to leave Alec’s side.

“No,” Cat said again, not giving him an inch, no matter how much he pushed. So he turned on his heel and went for his door but she snapped it shut before him and raised a ward over Magnus’ own barriers, effectively trapping him inside his own home.

“Let me out.”

“No.” Catarina shook her head. “Magnus-”

“How could you do this to me?” Magnus hissed and his voice held so much malice, so much hurt, so much raw emotion that Cat had not heard from him in decades. “I thought you were my friend.”

“I did it exactly because I am your friend,” she said. “And I do not want to see you die. You know it. And so did your shadowhunter, because he made me promise to get you out of there if things go wrong.”

And because she was his friend, she stayed with him even as he raged and shouted and tried to break through her wards by brute force alone. She stayed when he broke down, sobbing at the loss of his love. She stayed when Magnus exhausted himself with crying and he just sat there, in her embrace, empty and spent and too numb to do anything but shallowly breathe in and out, as if every inhale and exhale was a herculean effort.

She stayed, because Alexander Lightwood entrusted her with Magnus’ life and well-being and she would be damned if she wasted his sacrifice and let Magnus slip away from her too.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something to make up for the angst in the previous part.

> ****"I missed dinner, didn't I?" (Malec)****
> 
> **- ANONYMOUS**

After months of living together, Alec was intimately familiar with every room in the warlock’s flat. He moved around the kitchen with ease and knew where to reach without even looking to find his favorite mug (the one Izzy gave him for last Christmas, with a grumpy looking cat and huge ‘nope’ written on the front) or Magnus’ eggshell porcelain, for when his boyfriend was feeling particularly fancy. Every nook and cranny was explored by now, if only because Chairman Meow had a tendency to hide and pretend he had run away, so Alec had already spent an impossible amount of time looking underneath dressers, behind sofas and every possible place a highly determined cat could squeeze into.

So yes, he knew Magnus’ flat - _their_ flat - like the back of his hand by now.

But Magnus’ study was… something else.

It was the only space in the apartment that he still felt a little uneasy about and he _always_ knocked on the door before entering. Not only it was good manners, but he had learned the hard way that startling a warlock in the middle of a complicated spell was never a good idea.

(Jace still laughed at the memory of the day that Alec turned up for work with neon-bright pink hair, as a result of an unfortunate spell breaking away from Magnus’ control when Alec had surprised him.)

There was no response to his knock, however, so Alec gently opened the door - just a tiny bit - and took a peek inside. Magnus was sitting at his desk - a massive, hulking thing made of nearly black wood, decorated with intricate designs and etched-in protective spells. It dominated most of the room and it held stacks of books, rolled-up parchments and jars in all shapes and sizes.

The very first time Alec entered the study he had expected to see chaos, books and potions strewn everywhere. The sort of mess where no one could ever find anything, apart from the person who created it in the first place. But strangely enough, the desk was the only messy part of the room. Everything else looked tidy and orderly, not a single book out of place, or a jar without a tag with a carefully calligraphed name. Rows of drying herbs hung in neat bundles between the shelves that lined every wall. Books catalogued by subject and alphabetical order. Boxes with labeled contents, glass phials and other equipment that would look more in place in a mundane laboratory rather than a warlock's’ study.

It was all organized and clear and Magnus had laughed at Alec’s baffled expression, before explaining to him that messy work space was just an accident begging to happen. He couldn’t afford to be reckless _before_ , when he had clients coming in, and he most certainly could not risk it _now_ , not since Alec had moved in.

Alec leaned on the door frame and looked at his boyfriend. He was typing away at his laptop - another thing that Alec didn’t expect Magnus to use but he should have known better, since the warlock was full of surprises. Magnus’ face was bare of makeup, his hair was soft and unstyled and would probably fall into his eyes if not for a headband he had used to shove his hair back. He was wearing only a robe and a pair of silk shorts and Alec couldn’t help but to fall in love with him a little more, knowing that Magnus felt comfortable with Alec, enough to show his true, every-day side. To let Alec see him as he was, no barrier of impeccable style, no armor of fancy clothes to hide behind.

Alec must have made a sound of sorts because Magnus finally looked up from the laptop and his eyes went a little wide when he saw Alec just standing in the doorway, observing him with amused, fond expression on his face.

“Ah,” Magnus sighed, pushing down the lid of his laptop closed, “I missed dinner, didn’t I?”

“That’s okay, I left it in the oven so it should still be warm,” Alec said. “I know how you get when you find something interesting to work on. What is it, a translation?”

“No, not this time,” Magnus shook his head as he got up and they both moved to the hallway after Magnus flicked down the light switch in his study. “It’s actually a request for a ward spell work, but this one should be put up on an already existing array…”

Alec followed his warlock to the kitchen, listening to his explanation, even though he couldn’t really understand most of it. But that was okay. He didn’t mind, as long as he could look at Magnus, excited and animated and gesturing wildly as he tried to describe the nuances of magic.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not 100% happy with this one. I wanted to write it differently and then realized it would end up as another 10k+ words monstrosity if I didn’t reign it in (and god knows I don’t need another long-ass project in my life right now).

> **"I want to do this" (Magnus/Alec)**
> 
> **- ANONYMOUS**

Contrary to popular belief, Alec Lightwood was not a total stick in the mud.

It was just that he had to keep up appearances and that wasn’t an easy thing to achieve. Sure, the staff and the regulars at the Pandemonium all knew him, knew that he was allowed in without waiting in the line, that he could go pretty much everywhere he wanted, no exceptions. Magnus made that clear to his employees as soon as he and Alec got serious. And while Alec had special privileges at his boyfriend’s club (like the open tab, for example, something that Jace took advantage of on regular basis), he made sure never to cross the line between ‘mildly tipsy’ into ‘totally shitfaced’.

It just wouldn't do. He was the head of the New York Institute and Pandemonium was a popular scene for the local Downworlders and he couldn’t make a total fool of himself and lose whatever little respect he managed to earn by his new policies and the Downworld council meetings. He couldn't get drunk and dance like a loon (something that would inevitably happen once he indulged in too much alcohol) and make-out with his boyfriend for long enough to qualify it as an indecent exposure.

It wasn’t a thought that he entertained often - a quiet evening at home with both him and Magnus stretched out on a sofa while watching a movie and Magnus’ feet in his lap was just as good idea of spending his free time as any other - but even if the mood struck him for something different, he just _couldn’t do it_.

Which is why, when Magnus suggested going to a club in a different city, Alec was all in.

New York was quiet for the time being and he could afford a weekend off, especially after the last half of a month from (literal) hell that they had. The first free Friday had both of them dressed up (or, in Alec’s case, wearing the dark pants and black t-shirt that he preferred) and stepping through a portal that Magnus had opened up for them. It spewed them out in a dark alley and from there it took them less than two minutes to approach a building that the club was in. Magnus arm was looped around Alec’s waist - and Alec’s arm around Magnus’ shoulders - and they bypassed the line entirely, heading straight for the bouncer standing by the main entrance. A quick flash of a black and red card in Magnus’ fingers allowed them in without any fuss, after the security put narrow, golden VIP wristbands on them.

The club, Babylon, was… something else.

The enormous room was completely dark, save for the colorful strobe lights sliding endlessly over the sea of dancing, writhing bodies and a couple of reflectors over a long bar. Artificial fog hid the floor and the music was nearly deafening. Alec had heard it even from the outside, long before they actually entered the building. There seemed to be an upper level above the main dance floor and a scene for a DJ near one of the walls. There were also cages and high podiums that towered over the crowd, with half-naked dancers in them.

Alexander Lightwood, the stoic, stern leader of the New York’s Nephilim division, had just entered a gay club for the first time in his life.

Magnus gave him a reassuring smile when Alec froze for a moment and took everything in. Alec looked at him, his gaze wide and a little wild and Magnus leaned in to talk directly into his ear.

“Are you still up for this, darling? We can just leave if this is too much.”

“No,” Alec said quickly, shaking his head, “I want to do this.”

“Well then,” Magnus pressed a kiss just underneath Alec’s ear and the younger man shivered a little, “let’s get some drinks and then hit the floor. I am not letting you off the hook tonight.”

Alec just gave him a smile. For the next couple of hours he could forget about responsibilities and protocol and duty. He didn’t have to be the head of the Institute, or a scion of the Lightwood family, or even a respectable older brother. He could just be _Alec_ \- a slightly clumsy drunk guy who couldn’t dance to save his life (despite moving as gracefully as a cat while in battle) and laughed at stupid jokes and made out with his boyfriend in the middle of the dance floor until they were both breathless.

And Magnus… Magnus wouldn’t have it any other way.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DID SOMEONE ORDER A HUGE PILE OF ANGST BEFORE CHRISTMAS? NO? HERE, HAVE SOME ANYWAYS.
> 
> Somewhat crappy two weeks made me write a sequel to [chapter 9 prompt](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11594523/chapters/26384586) (and this probably won’t make a lot of sense if you haven’t read the previous one before). A lot of you guys asked me for another part of this ‘verse but I bet you didn’t expect this kind of angst.

> **"Do you remember?" (Magnus/Alec)**
> 
> **\- ANONYMOUS**

Magnus’ hands shook despite his best efforts to stay calm. The delicate, fragile teacups almost fell from his grip and he forced himself to stand still and take a couple of deep breaths. He really wished he could get something stronger, some kind of alcohol to dull the lingering feelings of grief and anger but he couldn’t. Not now. Getting drunk would help no one and his guests definitely needed _someone_ to keep it together.

But he couldn’t get the screams out of his head. The image of Alec stumbling to the ground as the energy of the spell circled around him, returning what was taken from him. Magnus wanted - no, he _needed_ \- to take the pain away but he knew he could not. Alec had to remember. And with the memories came pain, the searing red agony of each rune stripped from his skin with brutal efficiency. He screamed as if he was reliving the same pain, again and again, and the sound broke Magnus’ heart.

And then the spell was finally done and Magnus was free to come to Alec’s side. He fell to his knees next to his boyfriend and held him as Alec suffered through the memory of having his parabatai bond break. Magnus felt useless, not being able to ease the torment of twin souls being torn apart in the cruelest way possible. Magnus’ arms were around Alec’s shoulders in protective embrace as the young man sobbed his heart out. The sounds he made… Magnus had never seen Alec falling apart so completely and utterly and it was a terrifying sight.

“I can’t—” Alec had gasped in between one pained breath and the other, struggling to get the words out, “I can’t f-feel him anymore…”

It was only then that Magnus turned to look at the other shadowhunters in the room, to see the hurt, vulnerable expressions on Clary’s and Isabelle’s faces, the tear tracks on their cheeks. But the worst sight was Jace, kneeling on the floor, clutching at his side as if someone stabbed him. He had a wild, frightened look in his eyes as he remembered the phantom pain of the broken bond.

Magnus closed his eyes and sighed, before taking the two cups of herbal tea he had just brewed and going to the master bedroom, where Alec slept, curled up on his side, put under a dreamless sleep spell. Jace was sitting in a chair next to the bed, hunched over one of Alec’s hands, safely clasped between his own.

“Drink this,” Magnus said, nudging Jace’s shoulder with one of the cups and waiting patiently as Jace looked up, his red-rimmed eyes blinking at Magnus for a moment as if he had never seen him before, “it should help you calm down.”

Magnus sipped his own tea and waited until Jace was nearly done with his drink. He sat down against the headboard on the other side of the bed, close enough to feel Alec’s body heat. It was like a wordless confirmation that while Alec was hurting, he was still whole and alive and _there_.

“Do you remember?” Magnus asked, reaching to gently run his fingers through Alec’s hair, trying to provide some small measure of comfort even as he slept.

“How could she do this to him? How could she do this to _me_?” Jace answered the question with a question, his voice quiet and hollow in a way that Magnus had not heard from him before. “By the Angel, I hate her so much, Magnus.”

“She’s your only living family,” Magnus sighed. Though he wanted nothing more but to make Imogen suffer the same pain as Alec did, he knew that Jace needed to calm down before he did anything rash.

“She can go to hell,” Jace hissed, his words dripping with venom as both of his hands squeezed Alec’s fingers once more. “The Lightwoods are my family. Alec is my brother. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for him and she took him away from me.” He let out a breathless, bitter laugh. “ _She took my parabatai away from me_. If nothing else, she knows that without the bond I am weaker. Is she trying to get me killed? What was she thinking?”

“I don’t know what to tell you, Jace,” Magnus said as he brushed his thumb over the dried tear tracks on Alec’s face, wishing he could erase their pain just as easily as those marks. Magnus knew they expected him to have all the answers, but he was just a lost as all of them.

“What are we going to do?” Jace asked after a long moment and Magnus’ heart broke at the question. He sounded so young, so unsure of what was going to happen, as if he was on the verge of breaking into tears again. All of the young Nephilim in his apartment had their world torn apart that evening and they needed to find a way to stitch the pieces back together, however they might fit.

“I don’t know,” Magnus admitted, his fingers carding through Alec’s hair once more, “but we will figure it out together.”


	19. Chapter 19

> **"I need him." (Magnus/Alec)**
> 
> **\- ANONYMOUS**

When he imagined a scenario where he and Alec made up and got back together, Magnus’ mind usually came up with a different scene. A late-night walk in the park, perhaps, where they could talk things through. Meeting for a drink in a bar, maybe. Or even just sitting on the couch in Magnus’ loft, going through their thoughts and emotions, figuring out where they went wrong and how to fix it from there. Small touches, soft voices and, hopefully, equally soft kisses.

This… this wasn’t how things were supposed to go.

Magnus had fallen to his knees next to Alec, where he was writhing on the ground and screaming in pain. With the way the younger man was clutching at his side, there was only one possible source of such agony and Magnus’ heart froze at the implication.

“It’s okay, it’s going to be okay,” Magnus kept repeating as he held Alec’s head in his lap, but his words fell on deaf ears. Alec’s harsh breathing and pained whimpers overshadowed everything else. “You’re fine, love. Easy, easy now…”

After what felt like eternity, but in reality couldn’t have been more than a minute or two, Alec’s distressed sounds tapered off and the young man raised himself on his elbows, one of his hands reaching to pull the corner of his shirt up.

The parabatai rune was gone.

“I can’t feel him...” Alec gasped, blinking hard a couple of times as if the lack of the bond completely baffled him, “he’s dead.”

Both Magnus and Izzy froze, the words confirming their worst fears. The three of them sat there on the floor in silence. But just moments later, their new reality settled in on them.

Magnus would never, ever forget the sight of Alec breaking down.

He had never seen Alec cry, not even when he feared for Max’s life after Sebastian attacked him. He had seen him distressed, yes, even panicking… but never in tears. But now that the first shock wore off, Alec felt the full force of the broken bond. Great, heaving sobs left him as he cried for the other half of his soul that was torn away from him so suddenly. Magnus wrapped his arms around Alec’s shoulders and Alec just _folded_ into him, clutching at Magnus’ clothes as if Magnus was the only lifeline he had left, the only real thing among the sea of grief that threatened to drown him.

“I’m so sorry, darling, I’m so sorry,” Magnus murmured into Alec’s ear before placing a kiss on his temple. “It’s going to be alright. You are so strong, you’ll get through this, you’ll see.”

“I need him,” Alec’s words were almost indistinguishable, torn between one shuddering sob and the other. “M-Magnus, I need—”

“I know, love. I know…”

Magnus reached out with one arm towards Izzy, who was crying herself for the family she had just lost. She went to him easily, tucking herself close to them both, her own arms around Alec’s shaking form, trying desperately to hold her oldest brother together before he fell apart completely.

Before, when Magnus thought of holding Alec in his arms again, never in his worst nightmares had he imagined it happening like _this_.

**Author's Note:**

> None of these were beta-read yet, so please excuse my English. I'll have it edited when I am done with all of the prompts and the collection will be complete.
> 
> Tags, pairings and ratings will be adjusted with each new drabble.
> 
> Most of the time everything I post to AO3 I put up on my tumblr first, so if you want to stay on top of the updates (and also, learn a little bit more about me) - go check [my tumblr](http://theonetruenorth.tumblr.com).


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